Closed-circuit breathing apparatuses, such as closed-circuit respirators or closed-circuit diving apparatuses, are known in the state of the art. Such closed-circuit breathing apparatuses are closed-circuit breathing apparatuses operating independently from the ambient atmosphere. They are used routinely where hazards due to toxic contaminants present in the breathing air or oxygen deficiency are to be expected. The closed-circuit breathing apparatuses, which are mostly freely portable devices, supply the user of the device with breathing gas, which is carried out, generated and purified in the closed-circuit breathing apparatus. The maximum service lives of the closed-circuit breathing apparatuses vary and depend on the quantity of breathing gas that is carried along or generated in the closed-circuit breathing apparatus as well as on the consumption of air by the user of the device.
The oxygen reserve is carried along in the closed-circuit breathing apparatus either as pressurized oxygen or as oxygen to be released from chemicals. The breathing gas exhaled by the user of the device during the operation usually flows in closed-circuit breathing apparatuses into a regenerating cartridge, in which the carbon dioxide contained in the breathing gas is chemically bound. Among other things, water and heat are generated. Closed-circuit breathing apparatuses must be intensively cleaned, disinfected and dried for hygienic reasons after each use.
For example, a cleaning device for closed-circuit breathing apparatuses, especially for demand oxygen systems and/or breathing masks, is known from DE 10 2010 029 221 A.
The maintenance of the closed-circuit breathing apparatuses requires nowadays a complicated disassembly of the closed-circuit breathing apparatuses to the smallest individual component. The components removed are then rinsed manually with tap water and subsequently cleaned and disinfected chemically. An optional drying is carried out in drying cabinets, by means of special drying nozzles for breathing tubes and/or breathing bags, or simply at ambient temperature over several days. For example, drying devices with a drying blower, which is capable of drying a plurality of closed-circuit breathing apparatuses simultaneously, are known for this purpose. The closed-circuit breathing apparatuses are partially assembled in this case completely. Nevertheless, the closed-circuit breathing apparatuses must be completely disassembled before for the cleaning and disinfection. The disassembled closed-circuit breathing apparatuses must be reassembled after drying.
Chemical or physical methods may be used to disinfect closed-circuit breathing apparatuses or breathing apparatuses. Various tested disinfectants containing different active ingredients are commercially available for the chemical methods. The physical methods include, among other things, thermal disinfection, disinfection by means of UV and UV-C radiation and plasma disinfection. Chemical or thermochemical methods are usually used in case of respirators. Thermochemical methods are employed at defined, limited temperatures with the addition of a suitable disinfectant at a corresponding concentration and with a corresponding exposure time.
The methods known in the state of the art are very time-consuming and are therefore expensive. The complete maintenance of a closed-circuit breathing apparatus including disassembly, cleaning, disinfection, drying and assembly may take several hours. Furthermore, a very large amount of water is used for the cleaning.
The disinfection is usually carried out with corrosive chemicals, which may irritate the skin of the person performing the maintenance of the device unless gloves are used. The concentrations of the cleaning agents and disinfectants as well as exposure time are strictly specified and are to be complied with. A device maintenance worker is responsible for this. Due to the manual maintenance process, the cleaning and/or disinfection parameters are often disregarded, as a result of which the components of the closed-circuit breathing apparatus may be damaged. Very small components, such as directional valves or springs, may be damaged or lost during maintenance Very small components, in particular, may be forgotten during the assembly of the closed-circuit breathing apparatus, as a result of which the ability of the closed-circuit breathing apparatus to function may be compromised.